Hermiston Municipal Court Judge Tom Creasing has a different approach for those cited with failure to supervise their children: take a parenting class and the court may waive the fine.

The parenting classes, based on “love and logic,” will start April 6 at 955 W. Orchard Ave., and run from 10 a.m.-noon.

The class is geared toward those have been cited for failure to supervise their child but classes are also open to the public.

The court can tag those cited with failure to supervise their child with a fine up to $2,000. If a person cited pleads guilty and opts to take the course, Creasing said the fee can be reduced to $500 or waived.

“You are given the option to take a class if the court thinks it would benefit you,” Creasing said.

Counselor Woody Koenig will teach classes for English speakers.

“We thought it’d be more comfortable in a private setting,” Koenig said.

Koenig taught parenting classes for the Department of Human Services for about 20 years. He said the basic premise for the classes will be to show parents how to love their children in a way they can also allow them to suffer the consequences for their actions.

“Let’s let them make the decision and learn from experience,” he said.

The classes will also be available to the public in Spanish, taught by Jose Garcia of New Horizons Program.

The classes will cost $30 each and will run an hour and a half for 10 weeks, Koenig said.